Kamal Haasan can become CM only in films, says Sellur Raju

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedAug 18, 2019, 2:18 am IST

‘Kamal Haasan is not a popular leader of masses’

Kamal Haasan

CHENNAI: Cooperation minister Sellur K. Raju sarcastically remarked that Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan could become chief minister only in film but not in reality, as people who are real custodians of democracy have not accepted him as their leader.

“Kamal Haasan is not a popular leader enjoying the support of the masses. This was proved by the recent Lok Sabha election results. People still consider him as an actor. If he wants, he can become chief minister in films,” Sellur Raju said on Saturday and added that people decide who should be their leader.

On earlier occasion too. Raju had flayed Kamal saying people never understood what Kamal speaks and sometimes Kamal himself does not understand what he speaks.

The minister, who is known for making u-turns, had even criticised veteran actor Rajinikanth and later withdrew his remark after the members of the Karaikudi Nagarathar Sangam sought an apology from him for his comments on women from Karaikudi. While speaking on actor Rajinikanth's political career, the Minister had said, “Rajini may capture Karaikudi Aachi. Capturing Tamil Nadu politics is in the hands of the people.”

Speaking to reporters after participating in the Bhoomi Pooja for laying tar road for Rs. 39. 55 lakh at HMS Colony in Madurai on Saturday, the minister said about 1,535 tanks and ponds in and around Madurai are being desilted. Also, steps would be taken to desilt and renovate the temple tanks, which serve as rainwater harvesting structures. “These measures will ensure the harvesting of rainwater,” Raju said.

Asked about MNM's political ambition of making Kamal the CM in 2021 Assembly election, the minister replied that every party has its own stand. “It is nothing wrong on the part of MNM workers to decide on making him CM. But will it happen? Everything is in the hands of people who are the masters and custodians of democracy. If there's any government that reflected the feelings of the people, it is the Amma's government and the schemes brought by her,” Raju said.

Dismissal of noon-meal staff for swindling stock upheld by HC

The Madras High Court has upheld the orders of the government dismissing a noon meal worker in Villupuram district from service.

Published: 17th August 2019 04:44 AM

Madras High Court 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has upheld the orders of the government dismissing a noon-meal worker in Villupuram district from service.

The petitioner C Masilamani, a noon meal organiser, was held responsible for the shortfall of 205 kg of rice, 19.5 kg of dal and 500 eggs out of 800, which are meant for supply to students. Since he did not defend his case effectively and had committed a serious misconduct, he was foisted with the order of dismissal, which has been confirmed by the appellate authority.

As the petitioner had involved in misappropriation, the disciplinary and appellate authority had rightly come to the conclusion that the charges were proved. The petitioner’s contention that the students had not been examined, itself, is an ample proof that there was an enquiry and therefore, the defence taken herein by him, that there was no enquiry at all, cannot be accepted.

“When there is a prima facie case made out and the authorities have rendered a finding of fact, in the considered opinion of this court, the writ petition is liable to be dismissed and the petitioner is not entitled to any relief,” judge said.

‘TN opposing NEXT from beginning’
Meanwhile, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics has requested the government to pass a resolution to treat all children up to 18 years in children’s hospitals.

Published: 17th August 2019 04:44 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The State government right from the beginning has been opposing the National Exit Test (NEXT), a common test for final-year MBBS students, proposed in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, said Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 44th Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Paediatrics- Madras Pedicon 2019, Vijaya Baskar said, “The State is also against the term ‘Community Health Provider’ proposed in the NMC Bill. The Community Health Provider was proposed as there is shortage of doctors in the country. According to WHO guidelines and Medical Council of India norms, for a population of 1,000, there must be one doctor. But in Tamil Nadu, for around a population of 700 itself, there is one doctor.”



Meanwhile, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics has requested the government to pass a resolution to treat all children up to 18 years in children’s hospitals.

Technicality blocks tribal student’s dream of pursuing veterinary course
Meanwhile, NGO Sudar — the organisation that helped Chandran get education — has moved the High Court; the petition has been admitted.

Published: 17th August 2019 04:56 AM 

By Baranidharan C

Express News Service

ERODE: Mere technicality has robbed Chandran, hailing from the remote hamlet of Sundaipodu in Bargur Hill near Andhiyur, from being the first tribal boy to pursue a course at TANUVAS and becoming a veterinarian. Despite having cleared class XII with a good score and emerging first among tribal students this year, he could not get a seat at the university as the reservation norms has reduced the number of seats in his category to 0.18.

TANUVAS has 340 seats for the Bachelor of Veterinary Science course. This includes the 18 seats (5 per cent) for students of the vocational stream. Chandran had taken up this stream in higher secondary classes and, hence, applied under this category. However, as per norms, only one per cent of the reserved five per cent is allotted for students of the ST community. This means that there is only one seat for an ST student of the vocational stream for every 100 seats. With TANUVAS having only 18 seats under the category, one per cent of that would be 0.18 seats. Hence, the university is unable to allot a seat to Chandran.

When Chandran did not get a seat last week, Tamil Nadu SHRC member and judge Durai Jayachandran took up the issue as a suo motu case and sent a notice to TANUVAS. Meanwhile, NGO Sudar — the organisation that helped Chandran get education — has moved the High Court; the petition has been admitted. Sudar Director S C Nataraj said, “He is one among 11 children of the tribal family in Sundaipodu hamlet. He worked hard and qualified for the seat at TANUVAS. However, citing technical reasons, he has been denied a seat. Why could he not be given a seat outside the quota, given he has enough marks in class XII and on the merit list?”

Odisha government toughens service bond for doctors

As per the revised policy, students pursuing MBBS, Post-Graduation and Super Specialisation medical courses in Government colleges will have to serve for minimum two years in the State.

Published: 17th August 2019 08:38 AM |

Odisha Health and Family Welfare MinisterNaba Kishore Das (
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Friday revised service bond policy for medical students in order to stop brain drain of doctors. The new policy will be applicable from next academic session.

As per the revised policy, students pursuing MBBS, Post-Graduation and Super Specialisation medical courses in Government colleges will have to serve for minimum two years in the State. Those who fail to adhere to it will be penalised. If any candidate does not serve the State for the period after completion of MBBS course, he/she will have to pay Rs 50 lakh. While compensation against the bond for PG students is Rs 1.5 crore, those pursuing super-specialty courses will deposit Rs 2 crore.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das said the decision to revise the bond policy was taken to prevent students from leaving the State after completion of their medical courses.Earlier, the bond amount was Rs 36 lakh for both PG and students pursuing super-specialty courses.

“We have decided to increase the penalty amount from Rs 36 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore for medical PG and Rs 2 crore for super-specialty students,” Das told reporters.The bond is compulsory for all candidates taking admission in Government medical colleges, either under state quota or the all-India quota. The bonds would be signed by candidates, two sureties (parents or guardians), the dean and the principal of the institutions concerned.



The policy will, however, lapse on its own if the State Government fails to provide employment to a candidate within six months of completing the course. The State has more than 2,500 posts of doctors at different levels lying vacant due to shortage of medicos.

“The State is spending huge amount of money for the medical students and they should serve the State for at least two years. The move will help serve the interest of the people and check brain drain,” the Minister said.

Only 6 out of 16 colleges of Anna Univerity managed to fill 90 per cent seats
Some of the constituent colleges of Anna University in interiors areas have filled only half of their seats in the recent counseling for admission to engineering colleges.

Published: 18th August 2019 06:27 AM


Anna University 

By Binita Jaiswal

Express News Service

Chennai: The problem of vacant seats is not only haunting the private engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. Even the premier Anna University has a reason to worry as only six of its constituent colleges, out of 16, have managed to fill 90 percent or above of their seats in the recently concluded counseling for admission to engineering colleges.

The data provided by the university reveals that the University College of Engineering at Coimbatore is the only constituent college of Anna University to have registered a 100 percent enrolment of students this year. The college has a sanctioned strength of 240 and all the seats have been filled up during counseling this year. The Tiruchirappalli campus has recorded an enrolment of 98.85 percent this year while Madurai campus has filled up 97.91 percent of its seats followed by Tirunelveli which stands at 97.08 percent. The Kancheepuram and Villupuram campuses have reported 96.66 percent and 95.83 percent of enrolment respectively.

Apart from these six constituent colleges, the remaining 10 have failed to attract students. The enrolment figures in Ariyalur, Thirukkuvalai and Ramanathapuram is really a cause of concern for the varsity authorities. The three colleges have a sanctioned strength of 300 each but this year only 85 seats have been filled in Ariyalur while in Thirukkuvalai and Ramanathapuram the number is 73 and 76 respectively.

Thoothukudi, Panruti, Pattukkotai and Dindigul colleges have reportedly managed to fill only 56 percent, 52 percent, 54.33 percent and 48.66 percent of its seats respectively. However, things are somewhat better at Tindivanam, Arani and Nagercoil as over 70 percent of seats in these colleges are filled.



The varsity officials have different views about the scenario. Some have attributed the vacancies to the declining popularity of engineering courses while some others have blamed the location and infrastructure lacunae at the colleges for students not choosing it. “Some of the constituent colleges lack basic infrastructure like well-equipped laboratories, experienced faculty, and even their location is so interior that students don’t prefer to study in such colleges,” said a faculty of Anna University.

However, the vice-chancellor of the university M K Surappa has claimed that measures are being taken to tackle the problem. “We have sought funds from the state government to upgrade laboratories and hostels and other required infrastructure in the constituent colleges. Besides, we will send faculty from the main campus to the constituent colleges to boost the morale of students and faculty there,” said Surappa.

Vacant seats worry constituent colleges of Anna University
Data shows, out of 16, only 6 colleges have managed to fill 90 per cent or more of their engineering seats this year

Published: 18th August 2019 05:12 AM |

University officials blame declining popularity of engineering courses and infrastructure lacunae for poor enrolment | Express

By Binita Jaiswal

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The problem of vacant seats is haunting not only private engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. Even the premier Anna University has a reason to worry as only six of its constituent colleges, out of 16, have managed to fill 90 per cent or above of their seats in the recently concluded counselling for admission to engineering courses.

Data provided by the university reveals that the College of Engineering at Coimbatore is the only college to have registered a 100 per cent enrolment of students this year. The college has a sanctioned strength of 240 and all the seats have been filled during counselling this year. The Tiruchirappalli campus has recorded an enrolment of 98.85 per cent this year while Madurai campus has filled 97.91 per cent of its seats followed by Tirunelveli which stands at 97.08 per cent.

Kancheepuram and Villupuram campuses have reported 96.66 per cent and 95.83 per cent of enrolment respectively. Apart from these six constituent colleges, remaining 10 have failed to attract students. The enrolment figures in Ariyalur, Thirukkuvalai and Ramanathapuram are really a cause of concern for the varsity authorities. The three colleges have a sanctioned strength of 300 each, but this year only 85 seats have been filled in Ariyalur while in Thirukkuvalai and Ramanathapuram the number is 73 and 76 respectively.


Thoothukudi, Panruti, Pattukkotai and Dindigul colleges are said to have managed to fill only 56 per cent, 52 per cent, 54.33 per cent and 48.66 per cent of its seats respectively. However, things are somewhat better at Tindivanam, Arani and Nagercoil as over 70 per cent of seats in these colleges are filled.

Varsity officials have different views about the scenario. Some attribute the vacancies to declining popularity of engineering courses. Some others blame the location and infrastructure lacunae in colleges for students not choosing them. However, Vice-Chancellor M K Surappa claimed that measures are being taken to tackle the problem.

POOR SHOW IN 3 COLLEGES

The enrolment figures in Ariyalur, Thirukkuvalai and Ramanathapuram are a cause of worry. The three colleges have a sanctioned strength of 300 each. This year only 85 seats have been filled in Ariyalur, 73 in Thirukkuvalai and 76 in Ramanathapuram